Abuja-Kaduna train to resume operations next week, says NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced that the Abuja-Kaduna train will resume operations next week.

A statement by Callistus Unyimadu, NRC’s chief public relations officer, on Saturday, said the corporation has completed the repair of the affected section of the railway track at Asham in Kaduna.

Unyimadu said the corporation has refunded the fares of 512 passengers out of the 558 that boarded the affected train.

He added that “efforts are ongoing to reach and process refunds” for the remaining passengers.

He disclosed that the corporation will release the official resumption date and schedule in the coming days.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is pleased to announce that the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train service is set to resume operations next week, following the successful completion of repair and safety checks on the affected section of track at Asham,” the statement reads.

“The NRC appreciates the patience and understanding of our esteemed passengers and assures the general public that their safety, comfort, and satisfaction remain our top priority.”

On August 26, the train, which was travelling from Abuja to Kaduna, veered off the track as several coaches tumbled.

Recently, NRC said its investigation revealed that the derailment of the Abuja–Kaduna train was due to human error and overspeeding.

Kayode Opeifa, NRC managing director, had said the engineers had successfully re-railed and recovered all coaches and locomotives involved in the derailment.